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ARTICLE · 22 JANUARY 2026

Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMA) – What employers need to know

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A DAMA is a regional agreement that lets employers sponsor overseas workers under more flexible rules to address local labour shortages. What you need to know.

AustraliaImmigration
Paul Gleeson
Paul Gleeson
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What is a DAMA?

A Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) is a formal agreement between the Australian Government and a state, territory, or regional authority. Each DAMA runs for up to five years and is designed to address chronic and region-specific labour shortages by allowing employers to sponsor overseas workers under concessional arrangements not available through standard employer-sponsored visas.

DAMA frameworks typically allow access to:

  • A broader range of skilled and semi-skilled occupations
  • Concessions to English language requirements
  • Salary concessions (subject to minimum market and program thresholds)
  • In some cases, age concessions for permanent residence

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